A system, such as a Personal Computer (PC), may enter a low-power state during a period of relative inactivity. For example, a PC might automatically enter a sleep state when not being used in order to reduce power consumption. As a result, energy can be conserved, the PC may operate more quietly (e.g., because a fan might not need to cool a processor), and/or battery life may be extended.
In some cases, the system may automatically enter a sleep state in accordance with a timeout period. For example, a user may configure a power policy such that the system will automatically enter a lower-power state when there has been no keyboard or mouse activity for five minutes (e.g., and thus the user is probably not currently using the system).